Which Bare Drysuit to get

[oafis]

i am just starting out in diving and love it, i am doing my open water dives this sat and sunday, and already planning on purchasing my drysuit. I really like bare and have heard great things about their service and quality. The only question is, which to get. The d6 and the next gen are both the same price and my LDS, with the cd4 coming in a little more. The ATR HD and xcd 2 topping the charts at over double the cost of the d6 and next gen. I am wondering a couple things:

1: will i out grow the next gen or the D6 supra dry
2: is it worth the price jump to go to the big boys and if i do which one
3. if i decide and the cheaper versions, which to get, neo or shell
5. or should i got in the middle with the cd4

thanks alot

 

[JohnF]

oafis once bubbled...

1: will i out grow the next gen or the D6 supra dry
2: is it worth the price jump to go to the big boys and if i do which one
3. if i decide and the cheaper versions, which to get, neo or shell
5. or should i got in the middle with the cd4

thanks alot

As a Nexgen owner I have a few thoughts. You're on the west coast so presumably most of your diving will be cold water. Therefore you're likely going to get a fair amount of use out of your drysuit.

I bought the Nexgen based on price because I don't really do that many cold water dives and because I already had a good (Bare) wetsuit that's quite good in cold (or cooler) water. The Nexgen is great value but if you're going to use the suit a lot, I would suggest spending the extra to get the features on the higher priced suits. You'll probably only appreciate them if you started with a basic suit though. I can see reasons why I wish I could have justified spending more money. Fit, design, appearance, self-donning, accordion waist (whatever they call it).

Don't get me wrong. I'm happy with my Nexgen considering what I paid for it, and the quality of the materials is fine. I just wish I'd been able to convince myself to jump past the entry level price suit and have the bells and whistles of the higher-priced units.

As for the materials choice, I've not used neoprene drysuits extensively so am not in a position to criticize. I've dived my Nexgen in 34 degree water and been comfortable with a mid-range Viking undergarment, although I haven't done extended range dives in it at those temps. I'm not sure how many folks do extended range in near freezing waters anyway. I've heard good things about the compressed neoprene material.

Happy dry diving
JohnF

 

[Dryglove]

I would suggest you stay away from neoprene drysuits unless its a crushed neoprene like a DUI CF200 or Bare XCD2. Even then they take forever to dry. Regular neoprene drysuits have several issues of there own making them undesirable.

I have owned a nex gen and now own a ATR HD. While the nex gen is a great suit the ATR HD is a much better suit. Extremely heavy duty, self entry zipper, and comes with one small but decent pocket.

I would say it is worth the price jump to get either the ATR HD or the XCD2. Just remember that trilam drys quickly and neoprene takes forever to dry, at least it seems.

 

[JohnF]

lal7176 once bubbled...
I would suggest you stay away from neoprene drysuits unless its a crushed neoprene like a DUI CF200 or Bare XCD2. Even then they take forever to dry. Regular neoprene drysuits have several issues of there own making them undesirable.

I have owned a nex gen and now own a ATR HD. While the nex gen is a great suit the ATR HD is a much better suit. Extremely heavy duty, self entry zipper, and comes with one small but decent pocket.

I would say it is worth the price jump to get either the ATR HD or the XCD2. Just remember that trilam drys quickly and neoprene takes forever to dry, at least it seems.

What he said. Oh. I already said that up above. Sorry for being repetitive & boring. I think we agree though. If yer gonna use it, upgrade now. 8)

Happy diving
JohnF

 

[jonnythan]

I second the vote for the ATR HD. It's really a hell of a suit at a great price. If you contact Dan's Dive Shop in Canada (shoot them an email) they'll hook you up with an off the shelf or completely custom suit for a lot less than you'll find in the US.

 

[oafis]

i've got it narrowed down thanks to the replys. I am going to go with the ATR or the xcd2. I tried both on, and am leaning towards the cdx2 for two reasons
1. has a little bit of stretch, makes it easyier to get leg up to put fin on
2. i would have to go to a custom for the ATR, where i can get into the XXXL XCD2 (stretch factor)

i just need to decide. does the neo offer any warmth at all, i know the ATR does not, and is the what is the deal with the drying, is it just so that you dont have to lug a pile of water home with you at the end of the day???

thanks

Oaf

 

[Dryglove]

oafis once bubbled...

i just need to decide. does the neo offer any warmth at all, i know the ATR does not, and is the what is the deal with the drying, is it just so that you dont have to lug a pile of water home with you at the end of the day???

thanks

Oaf

Yes the XCD2 will offer a little bit of warmth over a trilam but will still need an undergarment.

My trilam dries very quickly while the compressed neo takes longer to dry which isnt that big of a thing. Just keep it in fresh air till it dries so it doesnt stink. If it works for you, go for it

 

[themm]

I am diving many time per week with my xcd2 in cold canadien water (43°) yesterday . I have try some other brand and kind and I came back to xcd2 because it keep you hot for a long time.

Good luck

But one thing for shure Bare is the way to go if you wanth a great value for your dollar

 

[Barriecuda]

I've been looking at getting a custom ATR HD suit as well, but have a few questions . Is the front zipper harder to get into the suit opposed to the back zipper? I have tried on a back zipper tri-laminate suit and it was very easy to get in and out of. Some people are saying that you need 2 people with the front zipper. Most of the divers in Ontario are really up on the neoprene drysuits, are they that much better? Is the neoprene neck seal a better seal than the latex? Any other comments would great

Safe Diving
Barriecuda

 

[Soggy]

Barriecuda once bubbled...
Is the front zipper harder to get into the suit opposed to theback zipper?

Front entry suits are much much easier to get into than a back entry and you should be able to close them by yourself...I can.

Most of the divers in Ontario are really up on the neoprene drysuits, are they that much better?

Better? No. Different? Yes.
There are different types of neoprene: regular and compressed. Compressed neoprene suits offer very little insulation (but some), are bulletproof (which is why wreck divers like them), take a long time to dry, and are usually more expensive than trilams.

Regular neoprene has a lot of inherent warmth (and buoyancy), and buoyancy (and warmth) changes with depth. They take a long time to dry, but are very inexpensive. They are also very tough and easy to repair.

Trlam suits offer no inherent insulation, but the properties of the suit do not change with depth. They are very flexible, but often expensive.

Is the neoprene neck seal a better seal than the latex? Any other comments would great

You like the word "better," don't you?

Neoprene neck seals are warmer, but require a tighter fit to work. Some people never stay dry with neoprene seals, others love them (me). They are more difficult to resize because they require cutting, gluing, and taping. There is also a little more pre-dive checking required to make sure the seal is tucked correctly. They are a good alternative for people who have latex issues.

Latex offer no warmth, but are easier to trim yourself. They are easier to don and doff (my opinion), but I always ended up looking like someone had tried to kill me with a piece of piano wire...the skin around my neck was quite sensitive to the latex. Latex seals are also more forgiving than neoprene as far as how tight/loose they are.